Ana Elisa Gomez Laris is currently a staff member and instructor at the department of anglophone studies at the University of Duisburg Essen, where she is also pursuing a doctoral degree in migration, law and literature in the field of American studies. Prior to this, she studied comparative literature and American studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. She identifies as an activist researcher, engaging where possible in endeavors uniting her academic and social interests. As such, knowledge transfer and the symbiotic relationship between academia and society play a pivotal role in her research approach. She calls Germany, Mexico, and the United States home. Ana is a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar.